St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-04-21
A TRIP TO CALIFoRNIA---No. VIII

A TRIP TO CALIFORNIA---NO.v VIII.
Monterey and the Hotel del Monte.-san-
tn Cruz and It's Big Trees.-The Money
Kings at MenIo Park.
If the reader will consult good map
he will observe on the Pacific coast,
about I25 miles south west of San
Francisco, Monterey bay. This body
of water looks small on the map but
large from the beach. On the southern
side of this bay is a small town of the
same name but this is of no account.
A mile or so before reaching this viii
lage the train stops at Hotel del Monte,
the most charming resort on this coast;
or it was on the last day of March,
when left there, but on April LIST the
hotel was totally destroyed by fire.
Fortunately the surroundings of the
less larger and more magnificent
structure will be Immediately built.
In what consisted the charm of this
house and its surroundings Imagine
plot of I25 acres of ground covered
with majestic oaks and stately pines
sufficiently scattered to admit of the
adOrnment of the grounds by drive
ways, foot paths, lawns, beds of flow
ers, and every conceivable Towering
shrub and rare plant. In the midst of
this garden stood the hotel, building
of uncommon architectural beauty,
with broad verandas, spacious Office
and stairways, sunny, attractive rooms,
with every appointment of comfort
and elegance. Everywhere outside
flowers and rare plants abound and
every pathway is bOrdered with floral
devices. A little way off is a large
fresh water pond where wild ducks
sport and where row boats await the
guests without charge. Ten minutes
walk in another direction brings one
to a sand beach where the surf dashes
with neither frost nor cold twelve
months every year. At this point a
capacious and luxuriant bath-hOuse
stands where the sea water is warmed
and guests revel in vast tanks 80 feet
square and deep enough to dive into
from a spring board. This is a faint
glimpse of Hotel del Monte as it was,
and its surroundings.
Directly across the bay, on the OPP
pOsite end of the horseshoe, is Santa
Cruz, another famous resort. This is
reached by rail ut a distance of some
40 miles. 1t is in distinctively agri
cultural region and some of the dairies
of Santa Cruz would make the butter
makers of Caledonia county open their
eyes. One dairy of ESQ cows furnishes
butter for the Palace hotel at San
Francisco, which now, by the way, is
feeding and sleeping Thousand guests.
By new and rapid process the milk
of these cows in the morning can be
converted into butter and served on
the Palace tables the same day at the
six o'clock dinner. AS the pasture is
125 miles from the hotel, this new
methOd-is observed to distance the old
dasher churn by several minutes.
Santa Cruz has as yet no cOmmOdi-
GUS or convenient hotel, but it has
many natural charms. One attractive
feature which all wish to see who visit
this place is the big tree grove. These
big trees are not equal in size, nor are
they exactly the same thing, as the big
trees of Calaveras or MaripOsa, yet
they are wonderful i'm size and height.
The largest tree is about 300 feet high
and nearly 20 feet in diameter, and
there are scores nearly as large. One
of these trees is named Gen. Fremont,
so called because the General and par
ty camped in it while exploring this
country. 1t is three hundred feet high
and contains hollow space, or room,
at its base, about sixteen by fourteen
feet in diameter. 1t was once occupied
by a trapper, who it is said, had chill
dren born in it. Holes were cut for
windows and cook stove put up, so
that it had all the Accomplishments of
a home. The walls are rather dark
iOob III POAoPOOOiNO'
Another very large tree is named Gen.
Grant, and a clump of nine trees, all
large, springing from one stump, is
named "IngersOll Cathedral" because
the legend is that Col. Ingersoll stood
in this group for his photograph. The
largest tree in the grove is named
"The Giant" and measures 60 feet in
circumference a little way above the
ground. The grove is kept as neat as
wax, with seats at convenient dis
tances. A creek about the size of
Moose river runs through it, and the
water is as pure as that in the North
Danville brOOks-a rare sight this side
of New England.
have said nothing about the cOun-
try between San Francisco and these
two coast resorts. Soon after leaving
the city the road enters a broad, rich
valley which lies between San Fran
oioc0 hov aDd a ranOa IF biOh hills mr.